Eavesdropping
by The Closet Romantic
Summary: Because it's the only way we'll ever really get to see and hear what goes on between our favorite couples. A collection of little moments in their lives, ranging from happy, emotional, tragic, adorable, beautiful, or just plain silly. All couples.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Rhinoceros

**Pairing:** Egoist (Hiroki/Nowaki)

**Summary:** Out of everything in the animal kingdom, Nowaki just had to pick _that_ one...

**Rating:** K+

**Inspiration:** This little one was inspired by...still being awake at 3 am. Hee hee. I asked someone to pick a random animal, and tried my best to work it into a story. Hopefully it sort of worked out :)

**A/N:** Hey guys! :) I know a bunch of you are waiting patiently (or not XD) for Pureland (my other major project), but I haven't had any free time to finish the next chapter. So, to make up for lack of updates, I decided to start this little series, which will house drabbles for all of the couples. I wasn't gonna upload this tonight, 'cause the site was being glitchy, but whatever. My head is pounding and I still have to finish an AP project by tomorrow morning (UGGH), and I figured I might as well have one happy thing happen to me today. Another one will be up soon! Happy early Halloween everybody! :D Enjoy these little appetizers while I work on the entrée! Thanks, and don't forget to drop me a review! :D

**Disclaimer:** Junjou Romantica is not mine... -sigh- but I still have my imagination! :D And...neither are rhinos...XD Enjoy! :)

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><p>"Hiro-san, you remind me of a rhinoceros!"<p>

A seemingly placid professor looked up from a large stack of papers riddled with angry, crimson marks. He sighed, and rested the large packet on the nearby coffee table, using his now free hand to remove his reading glasses.

"I know I'm going to regret asking how or why, and I'm not even sure what a rhinoceros is." Hiroki struggled with the foreign word, mentally mulling it over before leaning back against the couch and continuing to grade.

"So," he said, lightly sighing, "I'm going to pretend you never said that. Goodbye now."

From the kitchen, Nowaki smiled impishly. He sauntered over to the living room, crouching in front of the table where Hiroki's feet were planted, one on top of the other. He leaned both elbows on the glass, and placed his head between his open palms. Feeling a bit mischievous, he stuck out his lower lip, lightly quivering it for effect.

"But Hiro-saaan-"

"Don't you even _dare_ try that puppy dog crap with me, you big oaf. It won't work. It never does."

"Hiro-san, you shouldn't lie to yourself like that, you're not being honest." The young doctor smirked, bracing himself for the impact he knew was coming.

"You _brat_!" Hiroki angrily crushed the heavily marked papers between his fingers, the offending writing utensil clutched tightly in his hand, close to cracking.

"I swear, if there was a hardcover nearby-"

"Hiro-san is so cruel..." Nowaki's big blue goo goo eyes stared sadly at the brunette, his resolve only faltering for a second. He growled a reply anyway:

"Be quiet! I can't work in these conditions. I'm going to our- er... my room."

Nowaki softly chuckled and pushed himself up from the table, following his beloved Hiro-san like a faithful puppy. He came to an abrupt halt, his broad chest bumping against Hiroki's back when he suddenly stopped short.

"A rhinoceros..." His lover said quietly, his hand stroking an imaginary beard on his chin, "isn't that a huge, gray, horned thing?"

Nowaki smiled widely, even though he was still facing Hiroki's back, "that's it! Hiro-san is so smart."

Hiroki blushed lightly, crossing his arms over his chest and turning to face his tall partner. He reluctantly brought out an arm and poked Nowaki straight in the center of his chest.

"How in God's name do I remind you of _that_?"

The raven-haired man gently laughed, and took Hiroki's hand -still prodding his chest- between his two warm ones. He brought it to his lips and just barely kissed his knuckles, sending a shiver up Hiroki's arm and down his spine, causing him to drop the papers he was nearly ripping in half.

"I don't mean it as a bad thing, I promise," he took both of the brunette's hands in his each of his now, "it's because, well..." He trailed off, smiling at whatever thoughts were racing through his head.

"Both of you are stubborn, tough, but gentle when you feel comfortable (Hiroki scoffed softly)," Nowaki released one of his lover's hands and lovingly tilted his chin up towards his eyes, "not to mention, you both have a nearly impenetrable armor."

Hiroki averted his eyes, swallowing the lump of whatever was in his throat.

"But Hiro-san is a little less tough-skinned, and much cuter than a rhinoceros. Although they are kind of sweet in the first place..."

Hiroki could feel his face erupting in color, "you are so _weird_. Where did you even come up with such an analogy?"

"The kids at the hospital were talking about their favorite animals, and one of them said they liked rhinos. One thought led to another...and things just fell into place." He grinned happily at the brunette, who was scowling at the doctor.

"Ugh, whatever. I'm going to go finish grading these papers. I'll leave you to your thoughts."

Hiroki bent down and retrieved his fallen essays, beginning to head towards the bedroom. But before he could move any further, Nowaki's sweet voice caught him in his tracks.

"Wait, Hiro-san!"

He sighed for what seemed like the tenth time that night, "_yes_, Nowaki?"

"There's one more thing about the rhino that reminds me of you."

Hiroki grimaced, he could almost feel Nowaki's amusement bouncing off him in thick, invisible waves. He obliged anyway.

"And what would that be, Nowaki?"

His lover breezed towards him, catching his torso in his arms and leaning down to whisper something in his ear, his soft mouth brushing against Hiroki's silken hair, "you both have big, kissable lips."

And with that, the sly Nowaki Kusama waltzed away, back into the kitchen from whence he came. Hiroki was left in the hallway, standing and staring at the spot where Nowaki had been. Through his brief confusion, only one thought managed to cross his mind:

_"How does he even know that?"_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Behind Closed Doors

**Pairing:** Romantica (Misaki/Akihiko)

**Summary: **Oh Aikawa, you should just stick to the BL novels...

**Rating:** T

**Inspiration:** This is a very, VERY old drabble that I found in a binder, so I typed it up in five minutes and decided to add it to this collection. I thought it was funny, but I might just be narcissistic XD

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><p><em>Thud<em>

"Ouch! Usagi-san, not so rough!"

"Oops. I'm _terribly_ sorry Misaki, you know how _excited_ you make me."

"Ugh, can it, you big pervert."

_Squelch_

_Thud_

"Gah! Will you please keep the rhythm steady! I swear, if you-"

_Thud_

"BAKA USAGI! Wait until I tell you to go!"

"I got impatient, you're too slow."

"Well, switch positions with me, I can't reach from this angle!"

"As you wish..."

_Shuffle_

"See? Now I can do it faster."

_Squelch_

_Thud_

_Squelch_

_Thud_

"Neh, Usagi-san! I think I'm almost-"

Suddenly, the front door to the apartment burst open and Usagi's fiery editor stampeded through the entrance and into the kitchen, eyes ablaze and video camera in hand.

"Er, Aikawa-san?" the teen stopped what he was doing and turned towards the panting redhead, brushing his hands against his apron.

"Eh? Misaki-kun! You're...making...mochi?"

"Well..." Misaki rubbed the back of his neck, confused, "what else did you think we were doing Aikawa-san?"

Said editor could only sigh dejectedly and turn back towards the exit, half heartedly putting her camera back into her bag.

"Oh, nothing, Misaki-kun. Just make sure Usami-sensei makes up for this disappointment with a fabulous manuscript this weekend. Bye for now..."

Misaki could only stare, bewildered, as the gloomy woman softly closed the door behind her. Akihiko, on the other hand, was trying his hardest not to burst out laughing.

"Oi! What are you going on about?"

The silver-haired novelist smirked, "oh Misaki, you're so innocent..."

"Hey, I am not! I mean..er...I am!"

Akihiko chuckled deeply, "you know she wasn't excited about us making a dessert, right?"

The brunette just stared at him, "...um, are you sure? Maybe she just really likes mochi?"

A devious grin suddenly crossed his older lover's face, and a very recognizable glint flashed in his eyes, "you still don't get it? Well then, why don't I show you?"

Suddenly, it hit Misaki like a ton of bricks.

"Oh. Wait. USAG-"

But poor Misaki didn't have time to finish even one last word, quickly being thrown over Akihiko's shoulder and rushed up the stairs to the bedroom, the dessert left alone on the kitchen counter, unfinished.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Animal Planet

**Pairing:** Romantica (Misaki/Akihiko)

**Summary: **Misaki was never much of a dog person anyway.

**Rating: **K+

**Inspiration:** My lovely best friend bought a fish recently, who promptly died four hours after he got to her house XD Rest in piece, Hank. This one's for you. And yes, she did buy replacement fish (affectionally named Hank 2 and Brock).

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><p>Once upon a time, a little doe-eyed, brown-haired child asked his cherished mommy and daddy for a pet.<p>

His mommy smiled, pretty flowing hair tickling his nose, and promptly informed him about the definition of "allergies."

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><p>A few years later, the little boy -who was now a lanky teenager- asked his treasured older brother instead. He thought maybe now he was responsible enough to care for a little friend.<p>

His bubbly brother chuckled at the boy and affectionately ruffled his hair. The rest of that beautiful summer day was spent discussing the meaning of "income."

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><p>At last, when the boy was a handsome man nearly in his twenties, he gathered the rest of his hopes and tossed them in a metaphorical bag. He pulled aside his silver-haired lover and smiled as sweetly as he could, asking for a teensy, tiny, furry friend.<p>

He came home one day to an enormous, fully stocked aquarium nearly the size of his bedroom. Full of marimo.

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><p>Grudgingly, Misaki decided that maybe he wasn't destined to have a pet. Until one morning, when he remembered the big, silver "bunny" that constantly craved attention, food, and love.<p>

The image of Usagi-san with giant, fluffy ears and a cotton tail would not leave his memory no matter how hard he tried.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Use Your Words

**Pairing:** Egoist (Hiroki/Nowaki)

**Summary:** Even a professor of literature like Hiroki still had trouble finding the right words to say...

**Rating:** T

**Inspiration:** It just hit me one night like a brick wall! I actually have a very sappy, hurt/comfort ending written, but it's over 3,000 words. It'll probably end up being the sequel. Let me know if you guys want to see lots of crying and hugging! XD I actually love this one, hope you enjoy it!

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><p>If there was one thing Hiroki Kamijou was proud of, it was his love and deep understanding of his native language.<p>

Sure, he was a literature professor, not a linguist, but the two professions shared a lot of similarities. Language and reading had always played a huge part in his life, keeping him up into the wee hours of the night with tales of adventure and romance, shielding him from the indifference of his parents by teaching him about life, the world, and how to dream.

He had been given the gift of language at a young age, and it had only taken him a short amount of time to get a full grip on the subject. Hiroki wasn't a famed author like the great Akihiko Usami, but he imagined if he really wanted to, he could probably get a book published. His love of literature and writing was not something recent, he had adored the subjects as a child as well.

When the young brunette became overwhelmed with his myriad of lessons, he would literally run away, and fabricate a unique sanctuary in his mind, further shielding himself from the chaos that was life.

Even as an adult, sometimes he liked to bury himself within the worn, yellow pages of an old book, feeling the wave of knowledge and adventure wash over him like a cleansing rain. He loved finding new words and definitions that even _he_ didn't know, which was a rare event in itself.

But surprisingly, even with his seemingly infinite list of vocabulary words, he always seemed to use the most common amongst his own partner.

Nowaki.

How many words were there that could describe the young doctor? Too many, as Hiroki determined one lonely night, quickly running out of fingers and regretting the fact he only had ten toes. Sleep did not come easily that night, with his mind still churning out new phrases and compliments faster than a well-oiled machine.

Loving.

Sweet.

Protective.

Gentle.

Compassionate.

Big-hearted.

Selfless.

The possibilities were nearly limitless. But not one of the true words Hiroki wanted to say ever seemed to reach his lover's ears. They would travel up the blushing brunette's throat, bubble at his lips, and stick to the end of his tongue, only to end up swallowed back down like potent medicine, the acidic taste lingering on his tongue far longer than it should have had he been yelling at anyone else. Instead, he verbally spewed the painful words to replace the lost kind ones.

Brat.

Idiot.

Moron.

Shit head.

Dumb ass.

Stupid.

Asshole.

All of them were such a far cry from what he really wanted to say, but his immense pride and temper always seemed to rip the reigns right out of his hands, forcing him to give in to his anger.

He felt bad about it. He really did.

Hiroki knew how much words could hurt. Like a lot of people, he had been teased quite a bit in high school, mostly for his sexuality. Even though Akihiko didn't notice anything, everyone else did.

And he got hell for it.

Hiroki briefly wondered if his experiences in high school had anything to do with his dislike of public displays of affection with Nowaki. It was only a passing thought, and he quickly filed it away in the "things to be internally discussed much later" section of his brain. Recently, that section seemed to be growing each day.

Hiroki was brought back to reality as the sharp click of the front door opening resonated in his mind. A soft whoosh quickly followed as Nowaki stepped in through the entrance.

"I'm home, Hiro-san," he chimed, slipping out of his jacket and shoes, "how was your day?"

_Boring. Lonely. There's nothing to do when you're not here with me._

...

As if he would ever say that out loud.

"Fine."

He smiled at the brunette, "that's good, it was pretty hectic at the hospital today. But fortunately they didn't make me cover an extra shift like last time." The young doctor dropped his bag unceremoniously on the floor near the shoe rack.

Humming softly, he made his way towards the bathroom, but turned to look back at Hiroki once more when he reached the doorframe, "I'm going to go freshen up in the shower. After, we can grab a bite down at the family restaurant, since we're running low on groceries. We should probably do a little shopping afterwards too. How does that sound?"

_Wonderful. As long as I'm spending time with you I don't care where we are or what we're doing._

Hiroki sighed and brought a hand to his forehead. For someone with such a devilish nickname, he sure didn't have the guts to live up to it.

"Sure, yeah. Whatever."

Nowaki's smile faltered. He let his hand drop from the wood of the apartment and instead turned towards the living room area, where Hiroki was seated on the couch.

He didn't say anything, he just had an odd feeling that Hiroki was holding something back.

He was definitely right, as Hiroki was indeed having a fierce mental battle with himself, urging his voice to creep out of his itchy throat, if only for a second. It was a perfect time. They were both exhausted after the long day, and it would surely brighten Nowaki's mood to hear something different from his lover.

But more importantly, he wanted to remind Nowaki that he still had a lover who cared, despite the extremely rare shows of affection.

But it was just so damn _hard._

_Thank you, _he wanted to say,_ for everything. Thank you for staying with me. For being faithful, even though I'm probably the worst lover in the world. Thank you for dealing with my mood swings. For helping me face my problems. For being intuitive enough to know when I need you. Thank you for loving me._

But all that escaped his lips was a miniscule whisper, "Nowaki...I-"

Still turned towards Hiroki, Nowaki's face dropped quite a bit. The worried look he possessed nearly speared his heart, it was so genuine and so _real_.

"Hiro-san?"

"..."

"Are you all right?"

"I..."

He waited. Waited for that sappy movie moment where a tsunami of emotions would wash right over him and the tears would stream down his face freely, where Nowaki would look astonished for a second, but almost immediately wrap his arms around the smaller man and tell him everything was okay. With his feelings out in the open, the words would come bursting through, like water from a busted dam. And Nowaki would finally understand just how much he cared. How much secret, inexpressible love Hiroki harbored for the young man.

But this was real life. Not a cliché movie scene.

So Hiroki stayed there, mouth frozen shut and hands clenched together. Not willing to risk the possibility of snapping at the innocent man before him.

Eventually, the young doctor, a bit puzzled at his partner's behavior, turned away. It was against his initial instinct, to run and sweep his fingers through Hiroki's soft hair until a chink of his armor fell away and he told him what was wrong. But he had a strange feeling, deep inside his gut, telling him to walk away and leave him be. So, against his heart, Nowaki left the living room, but not before whispering one last sentiment to his distressed lover.

"It's okay, Hiro-san."

And with that, the brunette was left alone, unnaturally silent. But he was proud of himself. He had taken a shakey step in the right direction. For once, he had kept his anger at bay, trapping all of the words -both good _and_ bad- behind his teeth. Hiroki felt like it would be happening a lot more frequently than usual. But that was all right with him. He would stay silent for as long as it took.

Afterall, he would much rather be a mute before ever saying anything awful to Nowaki ever again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** To Fly With The Birds

**Pairing:** Egoist (Hiroki/Nowaki)

**Summary:** A true bird cannot take flight when weighed down with mere flesh and blood...

**Rating:** T

**Inspiration:** I felt a bit sick and anxious the other day, and this popped into my head while I was try to cool off in the shower. I'm very proud of it. I hope you guys like it, and if you have any questions, feel free to put it in a review. Thank you.

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><p><em>One.<em>

He doesn't know when he starts, but somehow, he looks down to discover the small square of white paper in his hands has somehow morphed into a delicate crane, wings pushed out and tiny head held high.

He doesn't even remember making it, but he supposes that some instinct, deep inside his memory, automatically started creasing and folding the note the second it was carefully placed in his empty hands.

Hiroki hasn't made origami since he was much younger, playing with his mother during the warm days of spring. She was the one that taught him how, even at such a small age.

Together, they would match the edges of the colorful papers and create so many of the birds, eventually threading a string through the almost invisible hole in the center and hanging them on the cherry blossom trees outside their house.

Hiroki loved sitting at the window in his room and just staring at the beautiful foliage, watching the birds lazily sway back and forth with the breeze. He liked to pretend they really were trying to fly away.

_Seven._

Huh. When did that happen? A small group of cranes sit in front of him, all equal in size and craftsmanship. Another lies in his palms, only about halfway completed. He exhales lightly through his nose and hesitantly completes the piece, folding back it's wings and setting it down near the others.

He doesn't know exactly why, but he's compelled to rip yet another piece of paper from the small pad in his lap and immediately create an additional bird. Hiroki decides to run with the feeling. His hands are itching to do something, and he's much to afraid to hold, God forbid touch, Nowaki's hand.

Thinking of the man, Hiroki's stomach flips, but not the way it does when Nowaki presses a gentle kiss to the brunette's lips, or suddenly grabs his hand, or even when he walks through the door.

_Eighteen._

Hiroki feels a little ill, a bit jittery, and brings a shaky hand to his forehead. He feels hot, but brushes it off and continues to fold.

_Twenty six._

More and more cranes litter the space in front of him. Frustrated, he growls and pushes them all to the floor, watching with mild interest as they silently connect with the hard ground. He doesn't want to, but he grabs another clean sheet of paper.

_Forty five._

Hiroki throws the last bird down to sit with the rest, and hurls the empty pad of paper across the room, relishing the sound it makes as it collides with the wall.

He sits in the plastic chair quietly, even clasps his hand together in his lap. But still, he feels the need to do something, as powerless as he is. He cautiously opens the drawer located to the left and is almost _excited_ to discover three unused, crisp pads of paper. Wordlessly, he slides one of them out from it's confines.

_Ninety two._

The pile in the floor is growing, getting just a tad bigger as he completes yet another bird and tosses it towards the flock. The pad is nearly halfway empty.

_One hundred and twenty seven._

He's already run out of the first and has had to move onto the second pad of paper, fingers eagerly pulling a sheet from the thin cardboard keeping the hundred pieces bound together.

_One hundred and eighty six._

Vaguely, a memory in the back of his mind surfaces, bringing forth things he was convinced he would never have to think about again. Angrily, he swipes at his eyes as he recalls his younger self crying by the window of his old room, praying and wishing to fly away with the cranes hanging from the trees.

_Three hundred and sixty eight_.

The empty pads of paper speak for themselves as they sit on the other side of the room, the orange light of the sunset bathing them in a deep, almost heavenly glow. Hiroki is nearly glad to discover the empty room next to theirs holds four pads of paper, unused.

_Five hundred and seventy five._

The stark room is decorated with the mass huddle of cranes thrown into a pile in one of it's corners. Or rather two; the flock has grown big enough to take up a large area, reaching deep into the recesses of every nook and cranny. Some are a bit crinkled, but nonetheless perfect. Hiroki refuses to let lack of space stop him.

_Six hundred and nine._

The sharp wing of another finished bird grazes Hiroki's ring finger with the gentleness of a lover, but leaves a sting. A thin red line appears in his clear skin, only a minuscule amount of blood creeping out from the cut. Hiroki pays no heed.

_Seven hundred and sixty six._

Someone else joins him in the room, but he does not acknowledge them. He's too close now.

He feels a soft, feminine hand touch his shoulder, but jerks away, receiving another paper cut for his sudden movement. Both ring fingers now sport matching cuts. A muffled voice tells him something, but he growls and nearly crushes the unfinished bird in his fist, throwing the most dangerous glare he can summon in their direction.

He swears a sympathetic look crosses the person's face, but they leave peacefully, shutting the door behind them.

A few minutes later, they return with two pads of identical, unused paper.

_Nine hundred and forty two._

Hiroki is so exhausted, his body screaming for rest, but he's too damn close to give in now. He has no idea how much time has passed, but he's seen the moon once already and is pretty sure it's sunset again.

_Nine hundred and sixty one._

His fingers are riddled with paper cuts, each stinging with such intensity it makes Hiroki clench his teeth to keep from crying out.

The flock of once pure white cranes is now muddled with splotchy, red ones. Fingerprint shaped ovals adorn a good number of the birds, the color ranging from a dried pink to a deep crimson.

He's almost out of paper.

_Nine hundred and seventy four._

He's using anything he can find now, ripping loose papers into squares and shakily folding them into cranes. His hands are on fire, but it doesn't matter. He's never reached this high a number before.

He places the bird in front of him, staring down at the small creation. One of the wings dips as a single tear hits it from above.

Sniffling, Hiroki remembers being a similar predicament many years ago.

_Nine hundred and eighty eight._

He hadn't been fast enough for his mother. He never had time to wish. But this time, he knew it was going to work. It had to.

_Nine hundred and ninety four._

If you fold one thousand cranes, his mother had told him, you will be given a single wish in return. That's all he needed. One wish.

_Nine hundred and ninety five._

He supposes the phrase "this is so stupid" should have crossed his mind earlier, but it was the only hope he had left. It had to be more than just a silly folktale, right?

_Nine hundred and ninety six._

Hiroki doesn't exist anymore. He's been replaced by a machine, dedicated to bypassing human needs and folding crane after crane to help bring back the only thing he's ever truly wanted in his life.

_Nine hundred and ninety seven._

Nowaki.

_Nine hundred and ninety eight._

Hands shaking, he places the bloodied bird next to it's brothers, stiff and sore and completely drained of everything.

_Nine hundred and ninety nine._

He finishes the bird with a whimper, tears finally cascading down his face as he drops it into the pile.

He uses Nowaki's medical chart as the final piece of paper.

_One thousand._

Hiroki doesn't like religion. Never really believed in anything, or anyone, for that matter. But in that moment, that one shining moment when he finishes the one thousandth crane, he drops to his knees and _prays_ and _wishes_ with all his might. For life. For Nowaki's life. He just wants to see those sparkling blue eyes so full of vibrance and feel the comforting warmth of his hands again, he would give _everything_, everything please anybody just _everybody_, please give his Nowaki back.

He waits for an answer, lying beside the still body of his lover and feeling the distant warmth that never seems to disappear.

He takes the final crane and pushes it into Nowaki's hand, pressing them together with his own, repeating his wish over and over in his ear, forgetting the blood and tears staining his very soul.

His body is so beyond used and exhausted, it eventually is close to shutting off. He allows his eyes to close, if only for a minute, hoping with all his soul he is met with Nowaki's cerulean gaze when he opens them.

Sleep claims his tired body.

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><p>He never finds out exactly when Nowaki wakes up. All he knows is that when he rises, he is met with the gaze he loves and holds so dear. Nowaki looks brilliant, practically glowing with health, the sickness that plagued his body for months seeming to have disappeared.<p>

Hiroki is different as well. All traces of exhaustion have left his body, and he suddenly feels better than he's ever felt before. A relieved smile crosses his face as he stands to finally embrace his lover. His warm arms encircle his body as he gets as close to the man as he possibly can.

For a second, just before burying his tearful eyes in the crook of Nowaki's neck, he catches a glimpse of the pink cherry blossom trees surrounding them, small, white cranes hanging from their branches and swaying with the gentle breeze.

And suddenly, he realizes, his first wish came true as well.


End file.
